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Rainmaster

2013 Motogp

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I haven't made a thread in ages, so I thought I might as well make this one with the 2013 season effectively underway.

2013 should be a better year for MotoGP.

Some of the races have been close, but for me, not particularly exciting and ultimately often became inevitable victories for one rider (usually Pedrosa). The title battle lost its punch through a couple of crashes, admittedly one of them self-inflicted. A real shame. MotoGP has also generally been a lot less interesting this year due to the loss of one Marco Simoncelli shaking up the order, and the controversy that followed him. Crutchlow and Bradl have been fast and fun (and Crutchlow is very funny), but there's no way they have the same appeal - not to me. I guess, what I'm saying is, as much I respect Lorenzo and Pedrosa's ability (esp. Jorge, although Dani really improved a lot), MotoGP needs personalities at the very front of the grid. The empty feeling I've had watching MotoGP these last couple of years and especially last year, is only a legacy of the fact that we were blessed for so long with Rossi's charisma, so he really left an emptiness at the top during his Ducati stint, and the same is true of when we lost #58 last year.

The good news is now we have Rossi back on front running machinery, and some guy called Marquez who apparently won something? Sometime? I don't know, I've not heard much about him tongue.png These two things in mind, we should at least see some good intra-team battling going on next year, if nothing else. It was good to see Rossi back on a Yamaha in testing the other day; will he be able to beat Lorenzo? I think he'll struggle - but the fight could be fun. If he doesn't win, at least we'll know it's the rider and not the bike...

Of course, Marc Marquez replaces Casey Stoner, who left some size 'genius' shoes to fill at Honda. Luckily for us, it looks like Marquez might be all that and maybe more. I won't try to hide my excitement about Marquez and I don't see how any bike racing fan could. I don't like to hype sportsmen but with him, it's hard not to. Winning from the back of the grid at Valencia in treacherous, wet conditions, is one of the most brilliant performances I have ever seen in motorsport. I can only imagine it was something similar to those who watched live Senna at Donington that day in 1993. It was one of those rare, magic moments that feels historic at the time you watch it, and just won't be seen again for an incredibly long time. So to me it's clear: MotoGP just got a new master and it's only a matter of time before Marquez wins on a Honda and starts challenging for the crown of MotoGP's top rider. He's already doing nicely in testing; http://www.motorspor...gp-winter-test/

But I shouldn't place too much expectation on Marquez. I do expect him to crash a lot (they almost all do at first..). I do expect him to be aggressive like Simoncelli. I do expect him to upset other riders and probably be involved in some very controversial incidents, and I hope he starts to learn from those better than he has so far. And I do fully expect that, like Simoncelli, the top riders will criticise him (actually, they're so nervous about him they've already started..).

All in all, sounds a lot more interesting, right?

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Right!

I concur about the crashing, the aggression and him being the next big promise. And then I have to disaggree about the degree of controversy you're piling up on him, although I will admit right away that I haven't followed him close enough to support my impression. It's just that he seems to be a nice kid, so it's difficult for me to imagine him willingly causing controversy. Now, causing it because he's good, that can clearly happen since it even happened to Pedrosa!

As an afterthought, what if he's a bit like Senna? I mean, what if he's an awful nice kid until he steps on track? Valid assumption?

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Oh, don't get me wrong, he seems really nice off the track! That's his appeal to me. After all Stoner is really good but was quite hard to like for a long time, at least for me (even though I always knew he was basically a good guy). With Marquez I agree: I think he definitely has that thing where once he puts the helmet on, he's just ridiculously aggressive and a different person, which is both good and bad. Good in the sense it won him so many races and some of his passes are unbelievable, but bad (and this is the controversial bit) because he's been involved in a lot of incidents over his short career. Some of them were even passes where he made contact with people in practice sessions or forced them off the track, something you don't really do in practice (that was why he started at the back in Valancia). But I think he's still learning and I don't see him as a villain, he always apologises after these incidents and ultimately, I think he's smart enough to stay aggressive but use it at the right time (in that sense, Valencia was like seeing two sides of the same coin).

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I finally watched Márquez race in Valencia. I managed to dowload ESPN Argentina broadcast (I think) and I enjoyed it. I think it looked a bit too easy, glad he'll race a MotoGP bike next year. It'll be worth watching but he has to take it easy. MotoGPs are dangerous.

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I'm happy that MotoGP is interesting again. Looks like Rossi might be able to challenge Lorenzo this year. Marquez is already unbelievable and finishing ahead of Pedrosa in your first race is ridiculous. Stoner is a huge loss of talent and we're supremely lucky that Marquez replaced him; I think he's the only rider that could.

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Hi George :P

I am afraid I must correct you: it is not ridiculous, it is what we were all hoping for, and somehow even expecting to happen XD

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the races. I still think Lorenzo is the favourite, but Rossi and Marquez make it so much more exciting ^^

Crutchlow was looking good, it's a shame that he went out like that because I didn't expect the "second" Yamaha to be so close to the front.

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Oh hi Tanita! Yes you are right, we did expect it. But it's nice he lived up to all the hype - if he was British it'd be a different story ;)

Agree that Lorenzo is still the favourite! Looking forward to Texas where Marquez was super quick in the test :D

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Rossi vs. Marquez was a cool fight.

Somehow Marquez' performance confirmed to me that Pedrosa's just another number 2 rider who can get off the starting line quickly. Having said that, there still was very little space between no 26 and 93 at the flag.

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Marquez hardly put a foot wrong at Austin. Excited about the kid's potential. Youngest winner in the premier class.

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Marquez woohoo! Further confirmation that he has all the talent of Stoner and all the race-craft and intelligence of Rossi. That makes him a Godlike rider, especially when he has so much to learn yet biggrin.png

As for Pedrosa, I don't think it's fair to call him a number 2 rider. He is a consistently strong rider and he can compete with anybody on the grid. It's just his luck that he's had two of the biggest talents motorcycles have seen as his team mates.

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It was amazing! I thought he would suffer a bit from lap 10-15 but he looked even stronger the last 5 laps. Pedrosa made a mistake but I don't think he would have been able to retake the lead anyway.

Great race and for the look of it great championship too.

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My favourite moment in all of racing:

You could almost see that baton being passed. Amazing

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Great race, Bautista almost took Rossi out again, that's two races in a row he's slid out like that. Seems it was the race for it though, poor Crutchlow and Hayden to name but two more who slid off.

Marquez was tip toeing behind Pedrosa, he so wanted to go for it but clearly he's been told not to take his team mate out, he came close though didn't he?

Great ride by Bradley Smith, would have loved to see him pass Dovizioso but it wasn't to be sadly. A good result for him, especially when you consider his injury of course.

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Ahh, Marquez, what to say? It pains me to see him so obviously much more naturally gifted (faster) than any other rider (like Stoner was/is), yet also clearly still learning his race-craft/confidence on these bikes, and so finishing behind. But happy that in a year or less he's going to be a nightmare to beat.

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Marquez is a talent and you can clearly see his frustration at having to sit behind his team mate right now. I agree, once he gets to grips with things completely he's going to be almost unbeatable.

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Just seen the awful crash Lorenzo had in practice. He's out for at least this race with a broken collarbone. I can't imagine an injury like that will heal in two weeks either, has this just ruined his entire season? I hope not, but you can bet the Honda boys aren't crying for him.

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I just heard about it. I didn't realise it was Assen where the sessions are on different days. A real shame. I don't know about the injury but I hope he only misses the one race. The MotoGP guys are pretty inhuman when it comes to injuries so I'll let myself hope.

I guess Rossi wouldn't cry too much, either. So for the race I hope to see at least a Rossi, Marquez, Pedrosa battle.

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Well this is how tough those guys are. Lorenzo has flown to Barcelona and had the operation, he's currently on his way back to Assen and if they pass him fit he's planning to ride in the race tomorrow. He won't have qualified but he did a time fast enough to be there and could start 12 th or something, not entirely sure how it works.

In the meantime, Marquez has now crashed and has a broken toe and a broken finger on his right hand, he's racing too!!!!

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Well done to cal cructhlow on a blistering first pole position. Hope he can hold on tomorrow.

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Well done Valentino Rossi to finally win again in fantastic style. Absolutely deserved the win today vintage Valentino. As much as I hate Jorge Lorenzo, to break his collar bone and then fly back in time to ride his bike home to fourth, top effort the guy was in agonising pain at the end of the race. Well don't to both Yamaha riders.

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Great rider though he is, Lorenzo is definitely an acquired taste. Not one I acquired yet. But yep, like you say, incredible job from him.

Rossi is a legend.

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Well done Valentino Rossi to finally win again in fantastic style. Absolutely deserved the win today vintage Valentino. As much as I hate Jorge Lorenzo, to break his collar bone and then fly back in time to ride his bike home to fourth, top effort the guy was in agonising pain at the end of the race. Well don't to both Yamaha riders.

Actually Lorenzo finished 5th but you were close ;)

I am not sure it was a wise decision for him to ride to be honest, sure he got fifth and sure he got some points towards the championship etc. but did you see him when the race ended? He was in a real state I thought. I mean all power to him for the guts to do it but I don't think he made the right choice.

Rossi, superb ride by him and I was so sad Cal got swamped at the start, his fight back was awesome though and he totally deserved second, it was Marquez who made the mistake and it cost Cal most.

Good race though, I hope the F1 tomorrow is as good.

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